WEIRD SCIENCE

 

Our Reliance on Electricity 

Jennifer Lieberman, author of Power Lines shares with us some thoughts on our dependency on electricity and what it means in the wake of Hurricane Irma. – by Jennifer Lieberman Originally published Monday, 2017 Sep 18 – I live in Jacksonville, Florida. As you may …

A Brief History of Peanut Butter

The bizarre sanitarium staple that became a spreadable obsession. Veteran food critic Florence Fabricant has called peanut butter “the pâté of childhood.” (Dan Saelinger) – By Kate Wheeling Smithsonian Magazine 2021 Jan/Feb – North Americans weren’t the first to grind peanuts—the Inca beat …

How Venetians Invented Health Care 

Venice’s small footprint, dense population, unusual governmental structure, and its devotion to trade was a unique combination that fostered innovation, entrepreneurship, and creativity.  – By Meredith F. Small 2020 Dec 06 – When Venetians invented quarantine in 1348, the government proclamation was based …